[07/16/09 - 09:12 AM]Letterman Beats "The Tonight Show" by Its Largest Weekly Margin Since 2000CBS spins the late-night numbers for Wednesday, July 15.

[via press release from CBS]

LETTERMAN BEATS "THE TONIGHT SHOW" BY ITS LARGEST WEEKLY MARGIN SINCE 2000

"Late Show with David Letterman" Also Places First in Adults 25-54 (Tie) and Narrows the Adult 18-49 Gap to Just -0.3 of a Rating Point

Last Night's Broadcast, Featuring Sir Paul McCartney, Tops "The Tonight Show" in the Metered Markets By Its Largest Margin Since October

"Late Show" Gets 5 Emmy Nominations This Morning

CBS's LATE SHOW beat "The Tonight Show" by its largest margin in viewers since 2000, placed first in adults 25-54 (tie) and narrowed the margin in adults 18-49 opposite Conan O'Brien to just -0.3 of a rating point, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings for the week ending July 10.

LATE SHOW beat "The Tonight Show" in households (2.6/07 vs. 2.0/05, +30%) and viewers (3.68m vs. 2.82m, +30%). It was LATE SHOW's largest margin of victory against an all first-run week of "Tonight Show" broadcasts in both households and viewers since the week ending Feb. 25, 2000 (the week David Letterman returned from heart surgery). LATE SHOW has also closed the gap with "The Tonight Show" in adults 25-54 (1.2/05) to a tie, CBS's closest competitive position since the week ending Dec. 2, 2005 (the week Oprah Winfrey appeared).

In adults 18-49 (0.8/04 vs. 1.1/05), LATE SHOW continued to cut "The Tonight Show's"' lead: -1.4 in Conan O'Brien's premiere week, -0.6 in the week ending June 12, -0.5 in the week ending June 19 and -0.3 in the week ending July 10. Among adults 18-34 (0.5/02 vs. 1.1/05), LATE SHOW has cut "The Tonight Show's" lead from -1.6 in Conan O'Brien's premiere week to -0.6 in the week ending July 10.

Last night's broadcast, featuring Sir Paul McCartney, topped "The Tonight Show" by its largest margin since Oct. 16, 2008 (Sen. John McCain's appearance).

This morning, LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN was nominated for five Emmy Awards including "Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Series."